Is it legal for a company to require information about your medical history before hire?

[Anonymous]

Hi OP here I guess I wasn't clear in my post. They want additional information beyond the vaccines and for that to be uploaded to a site before I even been on an interview.

Is this the norm now?

Thank you to those who answered the question without being nasty .

[Anonymous]

Sorry, your response indicated vaccine information. What other type of medical history do they want you to upload? Do you have any idea who will have access to this information? I could see, for example, weight, being used to screen applicants even if it wasn't directly applicable to job duties. That bothers me. (Not overweight person here.)

[Anonymous]

any employer can require a pre-employment physical to make sure you are physically able to perform any heavy lifting etc.

[Anonymous]

If you will be working as a nurse or doctor or in a hosptal/doctor's office setting, then I think that vaccine history should be required.

[Anonymous]

I think that asking for medical information before the interview is unreasonable.

I work in a field where a TB test is a condition of employment. I happen to be allergic to PPD tests, so I get a chest x-ray. Which I'm happy to do for a job I've been offered, but I wouldn't be happy to find out that I was being asked to expose my self to radiation before I even interviewed. Similarly, I had some of my vaccines in another country, and it would be a pain to get the records. Likely, if I got a job that required proof of vaccination status I'd either redo the vaccines or get a blood test to prove I was immune. Happy to do it for a job, but not so happy for an interview.

[Anonymous]

What additional information do they want?
My job requires proof of vaccinations, drug tests, HIV test, physical exam and TB tests, no exceptions. This was after I recieved the job offer, but before actually reporting to work. I would not have been allowed to start without all this information provided.

[Anonymous]

Is your concern what information they want or the fact that they want it uploaded via the Internet?

If your concern is about medical history, then you have to decide what you consider relevant for them to ask. If you are uncomfortable with what they are asking for, you withdraw your application or ask if that can be waived (usually not).

If your concern is about information security, there are ways to protect your information. Most application web-sites will use https encryption. This means that any data submitted is encrypted on your end by the client such that only someone on the server as a recipient can read it. Thus, it is secure. It is relatively difficult to try and intercept transmissions via https and decode them. The effort is signficantly more work than the results in 99% of cases. If the web-site uses http and not https, (http is sent in cleartext transmission which means anyone who intercepts the packets sent can read what is sent), you can always ask for a Fax number to submit information to avoid passing certain information across the Internet. Many, but not all, companies will accept a Fax, then will scan it in and attach it to your application so that you don't have to post across cleartext. Just call the HR department and ask.

[Anonymous]

I've worked in hospitals for the last 20 years. Every job that I've had in healthcare requires proof immunizations as well as a physical. Plus, we have to get an annual physical through occupational health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a weird experience where they wanted a physical prior to 3rd interview at the doctor of their choice. It was a desk job at a real estate company. I happened to be a few weeks pregnant and dropped out of the running. I thought it was creepy and didn't need/want the job enough to have my pregnancy revealed to a potential employer before I told my own family.

"He is a good man, and thorough."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The job is in healthcare so I will need to provide proof of vaccines. but I'm uncomfortable with the idea of uploading my info to a site.

Is this the new norm? Haven't searched for a job in the field since I decided to stay home with the kids a few years back.

I was just hired into a new job as an ED nurse. They did a complete physical, which included relevant medical history -- contagious diseases, back injuries and orthopedic injuries, mostly. They reviewed my medications. They asked for a vaccine history and ran blood titers to check immunity for my vaccines. I also had to do a lifting test and some balancing tests with an occupation therapist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had a weird experience where they wanted a physical prior to 3rd interview at the doctor of their choice. It was a desk job at a real estate company. I happened to be a few weeks pregnant and dropped out of the running. I thought it was creepy and didn't need/want the job enough to have my pregnancy revealed to a potential employer before I told my own family.

"He is a good man, and thorough."

Love the Big Lebowski!

[Anonymous]

This is normal and it's not exactly medical history- it's proof that you have had a negative TB test.